Red Dead Redemption 2 is a truly superb open-world game. Spend a bit of time in its world, and you may not ever want to leave it. Simply riding around and seeing what you find can lead to unexpected fun. At the same time, it helps to have some direction to make sure you live the outlaw life to the fullest. We’ve spent a lot of time in the heartland of Rockstar’s latest open-world romp and have come away with a bounty of tips to get you on the right track.

See more

• Red Dead Online tips and tricks
• Red Dead Redemption 2 cheat code list and how to activate them
• How to fast travel in Red Dead Redemption 2

Understanding cores

You have three main stats you need to worry about at all times: Health, stamina, and Dead Eye. With the HUD on, each is represented as a circle, with a white outline showing how much you have left of each. Get shot? Your health meter drops. Hoof it up a mountain? Your stamina will deplete. Slow down time for lengthy stretches? Your Dead Eye depletes. When low, the meters turn red.

What you really need to pay attention to are the cores. In the center of each circle are icons (heart for health, lightning bolt for stamina, eye for Dead Eye) that also can be filled in white. The cores directly affect stat regeneration. If they are empty, regeneration is very slow.

The way you keep these from depleting is two-fold. First, don’t be reckless. Taking excessive damage, continuously running, and hanging out in Dead Eye for too long will wreck your cores. If you want to maintain your cores naturally, here’s how:

• Health: Pretty simple. Stay in cover and don’t take damage.
• Stamina: Walk, don’t run. Remain stationary if necessary.
• Dead Eye: Recharges as you rack up kills.

Trust us, your cores will run out. It’s inevitable. So you should always have some tonics with you (for health and stamina) and tobacco products (for Dead Eye). It’s recommended to grab a few tonics each time you’re near a store. If you make a habit out of buying a few tonics each time you’re in town, you’ll be way less likely to run out. Nothing is worse than being stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no resources.

Aside from grabbing tonics from stores, you can also find them in the environment. For example, wild vegetables serve as a great source of health, like the wild carrot. Always keep your eyes peeled for resources you can find in the wild.

How to use Dead Eye

If you played Red Dead Redemption , you’re familiar with Dead Eye, the mechanic that slows down time to let you mark and kill enemies in quick succession. In Red Dead Redemption 2 , Dead Eye is a very important mechanic that comes in handy often. For this reason, you should use it strategically. If you’re only facing off against a couple enemies, you probably don’t need to waste it. After all, in many missions, the floodgates open after you’ve taken out the initial few.

Dead Eye in RDR2 can be used in two ways. You can either tag multiple targets for shots or aim and shoot manually. The latter helps conserve Dead Eye if you’re quick. One strategy we found to work well is lining up our shots in the general vicinity (usually around the head) before activating Dead Eye. That way you only have to adjust your aim slightly before taking your shot. Dead Eye also becomes key when on horseback. Many missions have chase scenes. Riding and aiming in real time can be challenging, but Dead Eye makes it a cinch.

Keep in mind, you can level up your Dead Eye ability, making it more powerful and useful. Dead Eye can be leveled up by completing specific missions within the game’s story. Once you’ve reached chapter 6, you’ll have fully upgraded Dead Eye.

Just like health and stamina, you’ll want to keep tonics on hand to replenish your Dead Eye meter. Things like valerian root, chewing tobacco, or Miracle Tonics will keep your Dead Eye full.

Horse care, bonding, and reviving

Early on in Red Dead Redemption 2 , you go on a mission to buy a new horse who you can then name. It’s not just an opportunity to pick a cute name, though. In RDR2 , your horse really is your best friend. You go everywhere with Huey. (My horse’s name is Huey. He’s the best.) But unlike other games before it, the way you treat your animal friend matters.

On a basic level, your horse has a health and stamina core just like you. Allow your horse to take too much damage, whether from enemy fire or from running into or off things, and well, your horse can die. Forever. That’s right. RDR2 has horse permadeath, and you don’t want that to happen.

Thankfully, you can avoid this by bringing Horse Revivers along with you. These can be purchased in general stores. They are a bit pricey, but you need them on you at all times. If your horse goes down, you will be given the option to revive them or put them down. If you don’t have a horse reviver, you’ll simply have to leave them there or do the unthinkable.

On a more general level, Arthur and his horse bond over time, which leads to better trust and more horse skills (drifting, running, jumping, etc.). To help with bonding, make sure to tell to pat your horse from time to time (we’re serious) and feed them regularly. You can purchase horse provisions in the general store.

Don’t forget to take guns from your horse

Your horse also acts as an extra satchel. Your guns, specifically rifles and shotguns, are often stowed on your horse. Don’t forget to retrieve the guns you want before dismounting. It doesn’t happen automatically. What’s great about RDR2 is that you can grab your items from your horse without having to get on. Simply activate the item wheel while standing next to the horse to retrieve your belongings.

Dress appropriately and bring a spare outfit

There is a myriad of spiffy outfits. Any and all of them look good on Arthur, but remember to dress for the elements. Each outfit is graded for either cold, average, or hot temperatures. You’ll know if you’re wearing an outfit that negatively affects Arthur’s stats from an on-screen prompt. That said, it helps to bring spare outfits with you on the road. You can change outfits at camp in your tent and buy new ones at the tailor. While changing, you can choose to stow two outfits in your horse’s satchel. So you can bring one for each weather type with you.

Plan your moves ahead in firefights

You cannot take a lot of damage in Red Dead Redemption 2 . In the spirit of being somewhat realistic in this regard, if you take a rash of bullets, the screen will get darker to note you’re pretty much on life support. One more shot and you’re dead. This is why you should always stay behind cover, and before you move, know where you’re headed next. It’s not meant to be played as a run-and-gun game. This is very much a cover shooter, and you should keep that in mind when in the thick of firefights if you want to succeed.

With that in mind, it’s best to stay still when pulling off your shots, especially at long range. You’ll find that aimlessly shooting while running will result in missed shots and wasted ammo. Stop, take aim, and shoot with intent.

Looting takes time, but do it

Every bandit, lawman, and innocent you kill can be looted. People don’t often have much cash on them, but that’s not the point. Oftentimes, you’ll pick up useful tonics for your health and stamina or tobacco/alcohol for Dead Eye (and sometimes health/stamina).

Looting is a great way to make sure you don’t have to make excess trips to the general store. The looting animation itself takes a couple seconds, and beware, you are vulnerable during that time. Exercise caution before looting, but don’t forget to do it. If sometimes you simply don’t have time, still make sure you walk near bodies, as you’ll automatically pick up ammo.

Experiment with the controls and settings

One of the great things about RDR2 is how in-depth you can get with the customization within the settings. You can alter the sensitivity, turn off aim assist, and other important settings you’ll want to look into. Rockstar games are notorious for making you have to continuously tap a button to keep sprinting, but in RDR2 , you can turn this off. Or perhaps you want to play in first-person while on foot but stick to third-person while riding. There’s a setting to automatically switch to third-person when you jump on your horse. Make sure your settings are all to your liking before going out to explore and take on missions.

Pay for your crimes

When you do bad things, the law comes for you. The Wanted system plays out somewhat similarly to other Rockstar open-world games. If you commit a crime in town and it’s reported or seen, the police will come after you. When actively Wanted, you cannot enter missions in the area. You can flee or hide and the police will stop searching for you eventually, but the bounty on your head will still be there when you return to the area.

The map is separated into regions, and it’s possible, and likely, that you will have bounties on your head in multiple areas at one time. Some Wanted scenarios happen automatically during missions. Others you bring on yourself. What’s important to remember is that if you have a bounty on your head in a region, you never know when a group of bounty hunters will show up. For us, they tended to arrive when Arthur was alone with no support. This can create problems if you’re in the middle of a mission. So sometimes you may just want to pay off your bounties by heading over to the post office in any town.

Walk up to the Clerk and pay your bounties. You can pay all or just in one area if you so choose. Doing so will negate any bounty hunters from coming after you and stop the law from interrupting you as you go about your business.

Don’t forget to eat

Provisions can be anything from food to liquor to cigarettes, but it’s the food kind that you need to stay healthy. No, seriously, you need to eat somewhat regularly to maintain your weight. This means shoveling down dry crackers or eating meat cooked over the fire. If you don’t eat, Arthur will lose weight and be more vulnerable. On the flip side, if you eat too much, it’s like adding weight to his cowboy boots. He’ll run out of energy quicker. We found that eating at the start of a mission kept Arthur happy and healthy. You can acquire food from all sorts of processes. You can loot it off enemies, rummage through cupboards, buy a stockpile at the general store, or hunt/fish and cook your finds over a fire.

How to fast travel

While we encourage you to take scenic horseback rides across the countryside, you can fast travel in a couple different ways. From the jump, you have to purchase a train ticket or stagecoach ticket, which is capable of taking you to various towns. These tickets can be bought at post offices. As you save up money, though, you can unlock a better means for fast travel at camp.

First, you have to buy an upgrade to Dutch’s tent. After purchasing Dutch’s upgrade, you can then buy a special map for Arthur. With the new map, you can fast travel to specific areas such as towns and settlements from camp. Since these upgrades cost around 500 bucks, you won’t be able to unlock them right away. You’ll still have to do a lot of riding (not such a bad thing), but fast travel certainly helps. Your horse will automatically travel to your new location, too.

Rob trains and thank us later

As mentioned, individuals rarely have a ton of money on them. Rarely. One of the quickest and most satisfying ways to fill your money bag is by robbing a train full of people. The train tracks weave all throughout the map. The unmistakable rattling and horns will help guide the way to a passing train. You can ride up alongside it and jump from your horse to get on. From there, you can rob individual passengers as well as the cargo. You’ll often find trinkets of great value and some stuffed money clips.

Beware of folks asking for help

We’re all for helping out our fellow travelers, but you should know that not everyone you come across is exactly savory. Sometimes you’ll be asked for help, only to have them turn on you. While this shouldn’t deter you from raising your Honor — the moral system that dictates how the world treats you — you should be ready to flip the switch and fight back at all times. Unfortunately, there isn’t always a sure-fire way to know if someone has something up their sleeve. You’ll need to act fast and be prepared to be double-crossed.

Upgrade your camp

In each camp, there’s a contribution bin that represents the gang’s funds. Next to it is a ledger that lets you purchase camp upgrades. These upgrades include tents for supplies, cooking, crafting, and even useful means of travel like a boat (and the aforementioned fast travel map).

At first, these upgrades may seem as if they cost a lot of money, but before long, they will be nothing more than a drop in the bucket. And they help keep your satchel full when you’re set up far away from a town.

Bonus Tip: Try to get the Leather Working Tools first to access more upgrades.

Make wise choices

One of the coolest aspects of Red Dead Redemption 2 is that all of your choices really do matter. We don’t want to spoil anything, but you should make careful decisions, because every decision has consequences that affect the rest of your gameplay.

You’re free to play as a good guy or become a villain, but we advise against turning down missions. You can finish the game without playing through every single mission, but you would be missing out on some great content.

All of your choices are going to influence your honor rating, for good or bad. No matter if you’re playing as a good guy or a villain, you’ll want to take advantage of these opportunities to increase your rating.

Also, completing all the stories gives you access to narrative beats that you might otherwise miss. You also might find extra chances to obtain much-needed money.

Stop and take it all in

Red Dead Redemption 2 is an incredible game with advanced images and fascinating plotlines. You might be tempted to blast through the missions as fast as you can. But there’s a ton to absorb, so we recommend taking your time and moving through the side quests.

We also strongly suggest taking a few breaks from the main plot to discover the wide world of Red Dead Redemption 2 . There’s a ton of terrain to cover and some beautiful scenes to take in. The ability to make your own exciting adventures is part of the fun of the game.

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The Xbox One might not have the same selection of exclusives as the PlayStation 4 or Nintendo Switch, but the handful it does have are worth checking out. Some of the best Xbox One games are first-party titles, but you’ll find loads of other quality games from the likes of Electronic Arts, Bethesda, and Ubisoft that comprise a huge library of games worth playing.

In addition, many of them look the best on Xbox with the power of the Xbox One X , and the vast majority are compatible with the Xbox Series X .

Thanks to an excellent range of shooting and racing games from Xbox’s first-party studios, the Xbox One has a large library of games to choose from. The library has been bolstered over the past few years by Xbox Game Pass, too, offering hundreds of excellent games for a low monthly price.

From the snowy mountains of Valhalla to the concrete walls of the Federal Bureau of Control, here are the best Xbox One games.

Apex Legends

Apex Legends is a squad-based battle royale from Respawn, the studio behind the excellent Titanfall series. While it doesn’t have the Titans or the awesome wall-running, Apex Legends is a refreshing entry in the battle royale genre. The 60-player format splits players up into teams of three, with each contest choosing from a pool of legends with unique abilities .

Apex Legends has the best nonverbal communication system we’ve seen in a multiplayer game. The ping system lets you place markers on weapons, enemies, and other points of interest to help you keep your teammates informed. There’s no need to even speak through a mic. It’s that good.

The spacious sci-fi map is full of surprises and little details. The gunplay is as good as Titanfall and feels great in the battle royale format thanks to varied options and a bunch of cool attachments. And in a change from other battle royale games, you can bring teammates back to life after a bit of recon work.

The best part about Apex Legends ? It’s free-to-play and none of the microtransactions give you a competitive advantage.

Read our full Apex Legends review

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla

Although Assassin’s Creed Valhalla runs better on the beefier Xbox Series X , it’s still an excellent title on Xbox One (and it supports Smart Delivery, so you can get the Series X version when you upgrade). After a few short hours in the game, it’s easy to see that Valhalla is one of the best Assassin’s Creed games ever made. The game showcases what Ubisoft’s AnvilNext 2.0 engine has to offer, as developer Ubisoft Montreal pushes the tech to its limits.

It’s not just the visuals that stand out, either. Valhalla still uses the open-world design featured in Origins and Odyssey, but Valhalla’s world feels denser than its predecessors. Furthermore, Valhalla ramps up the intensity of combat encounters, making each swing of your sword or mace feel more fierce than ever. In many ways, Valhalla is to Odyssey and Origins what Black Flag was to the first Assassin’s Creed games: A familiar experience with just enough refinement to make a difference.

Read our full Assassin’s Creed Valhalla review

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare defined the Xbox 360. Its intense single-player campaign played out like a blockbuster film while it’s competitive multiplayer kept the disc in players’ consoles for years.

Infinity Ward returned to the sub-series with the reboot Call of Duty: Modern Warfare , a game that understands what fans loved about the original game without feeling trapped by its legacy. This time around, the story is told in a more grounded and realistic way, with disturbing content that is not included for mere twists or shock value.

Competitive multiplayer has also been refined in the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare , adding the massive Ground War mode alongside staples like Team Deathmatch and Domination. With the recent release of Warzone battle royale, there is even more to love about this game.

Read our full Call of Duty: Modern Warfare review

Control

Remedy Entertainment fans got a taste of the studio’s potential with the Xbox One game Quantum Break , but Control is a much more refined take on the third-person shooter genre. Set in the morphing headquarters for the Federal Bureau of Control, Control is a “paranatural” mystery that starts weird and only gets weirder.

As protagonist Jesse Faden, you’re given the role of director upon your entry and must work to purge the Hiss enemies from the Bureau. You do this with the help of your unique superpowered abilities, which include telekinesis and mind control. Alongside these, you have the Service Weapon, a unique handgun that shifts forms and functions like a shotgun or even a machine gun. It makes Control ’s combat satisfying and encourages experimentation.

Read our full Control review

Cuphead

Some games are hard. And then there is Cuphead . The 2D sidescrolling game combines challenging platforming gauntlets with some of the most difficult bosses on the planet, each of which is capable of taking down the titular hero in just a few hits, and it requires some of the quickest reflexes of any game we’ve ever played.

You won’t mind dying to the same enemies over and over too much, however, as the Cuphead is also a gorgeous love letter to classic animated films of the ‘30s such as Steamboat Willie , and the hand-drawn animations and environments are nothing short of breathtaking. Combined with an era-appropriate soundtrack that’s heavy on the swing and the piano, and you have an absolute classic hit.

Destiny 2

Bungie seemingly rushed the original Destiny to release, offering a campaign mode that didn’t make much sense and a surprising lack of endgame content. Destiny 2 aimed to right these wrongs and its campaign is everything we expect from developer Bungie — loud, fast, funny, and a whole lot of fun.

Now more than three years after launch, Destiny 2 has evolved in surprising and great ways. While the first two, smaller expansions didn’t add much in terms of depth, the last three have given the experience a welcome makeover. Rife with new endgame content, missions, and areas to explore, Beyond Light changes the identity of Destiny 2 and will keep Guardians busy (and happy) as the online first-person shooter continues to grow.

Read our full Destiny 2: Beyond Light review

Devil May Cry 5

After taking a darker direction with DmC from Ninja Theory (more on that developer in a bit) back in 2013, the original series returns with Devil May Cry 5 . Set after the events of the four other games, Devil May Cry 5 puts you in control of three different characters, each with unique weapons and abilities to master. Nero’s brutality contrasts Dante’s flashiness, and both are about as different from V’s demon-spawning style as possible.

Devil May Cry 5 feels like the perfect blend of old and new, with a gorgeous engine making it one of the prettiest games on the Xbox One. It hasn’t lost the series’ challenge, however, and a second run on Son of Sparda difficulty mixes up the enemy variety to put your skills to the test.

Read our full Devil May Cry 5 review

Doom Eternal

A sequel that is even better than the 2016 reboot, Doom Eternal is a confident and lightning-fast first-person shooter from the masters at id Software. It expands on its predecessors’ movement-centric combat with Glory Kills providing health when performed on staggered enemies, and there are more than twice as many types of demons ready to tear the Doom Slayer limb from limb. They’ll have a hard time doing so, as he’s packing a spring-loaded arm-blade, powerful chainsaw, and a huge arsenal of guns.

Where Doom Eternal far surpasses 2016’s Doom is its competitive multiplayer Battlemode, which shifts the generic deathmatch modes to asymmetrical battles between one Doom Slayer and two demons. Every battle is a tense affair from beginning to end, with the demons capable of spawning more allies to their side and ganging up on the Slayer as he attempts to evade and launch his own counter-attack.

Read our full Doom Eternal review

Fortnite

Fortnite needs no introduction. Epic Games’ third-person shooter — and its free battle royale mode — took the industry (and the world) by storm with its unique mix of last-man-standing action and building mechanics. It dominates children’s conversations at school, sparked countless imitators, and even managed to surpass PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds , which used a similar structure that served as the main inspiration for Fortnite battle royale. With a consistent stream of content updates always giving players something new to do or see, the player-count remains high while some parents even buy tutoring sessions to improve their kids’ skills — and their own.

Read our full Fortnite Battle Royale review

Forza Horizon 4

Playground Games has proven itself as one of the best racing game developers on the planet, and the studio has outdone itself with Forza Horizon 4 . Taking the action to Britain this time around, Forza Horizon 4 is packed full of racing challenges and open-world fun to partake in, and running on an Xbox One X at 4K or 60 frames per second, it’s a stunning display of power.

A new seasons system changes the environments, as well, freezing over lakes or turning easy roads into muddy deathtraps, and with real players always racing around you in the world, the Forza Horizon 4 allows you to be just a few moments away from a race at any time.

Read our full Forza Horizon 4 review

Gears 5

The Coalition outdid itself with Gears 5 , a third-person shooter that improves on its predecessor in nearly every way. Combat feels just as perfect as ever, with intense shootouts against both Swarm and robotic DeeBees. More open-ended areas feature side missions that add additional context to the game’s world.

Gears 5 is one of the best games in the entire series, with psychological horror elements sprinkled throughout its story and a tremendous selection of cooperative modes. The new Escape game mode is great for aggressive players, and the competitive multiplayer doesn’t change what was already nearly perfect.

Read our full Gears 5 review

Gears Tactics

Who would’ve thought that the strategy genre would work wonders with the Gears of War franchise? Well, Microsoft did, and the resulting Gears Tactics is one of the finest games in the series and easily the best spin-off game. It takes the traditional third-person action and translates it to a top-down, turn-based environment.

Battles here are a bit slower than what most Gears fans might be used to, as players have to navigate environments one turn at a time to take down swarms of Horde enemies. While it feels very different from a normal entry in the series, it does retain the beloved gameplay of hiding behind cover and thinking about your next move.

With a new take on Gears lore and a strong campaign, this is worth checking out for Gears and XCOM fans alike.

Halo 5: Guardians

343 Industries wasn’t content to deliver exactly what fans expected in Halo 5: Guardians . Longtime protagonist Master Chief largely takes a backseat to newcomer Spartan Locke on an adventure that hops across multiple planets and features a favorite supporting character in a very different role.

It’s a gorgeous game full of jaw-dropping moments, but multiplayer is where Halo 5: Guardians really shines. Between the classic arena competitive matches and the large-scale Warzone mode, there’s enough content in Halo 5 to keep you fragging your friends for months or even years on end.

Read our full Halo 5: Guardians review

Halo: The Master Chief Collection

Halo: The Master Chief Collection is the perfect introduction for Xbox One owners new to Microsoft’s console family. Containing the first four numbered games in the series — as well as their prequel, Halo: Reach — it’s enough content to keep you busy for weeks and months on end. Halo 2: Anniversary is a highlight of this package, a remastered classic with new cinematics and sound effects, that even shows up Halo 5.

As you may have heard, Halo: The Master Chief Collection was a bit of a mess at launch, but the game’s server issues have stabilized. There are more than 100 maps to choose from, spanning from the original Halo to Halo 4 . The majority are remastered versions of old favorites, but a select few were rebuilt from the ground up specifically for the collection. Of course, if you’re like us, you’ll be spending all your time blowing your friends up in Blood Gulch anyway.

Read our full Halo: The Master Chief Collection review

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice is one of the few games that actually earns the title of “masterpiece.” From beginning to end, Ninja Theory’s tormented adventure game feels purposefully crafted, with every detail lending to the game’s drab atmosphere. The game was so impressive when it released in 2017, in fact, that Xbox Game Studios acquired Ninja Theory shortly after. Now, the studio is working on the upcoming Xbox exclusive Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II.

Although Senua’s Sacrifice is a game you should play, keep in mind that it’s a heavy game. It’s not afraid to lean into its themes, using audio and visual design to create a certain uncomforting atmosphere. Thankfully, the heavier themes are broken up by environmental puzzles and surprisingly tight sword combat.

Read our Hellblade: Senua ‘s Sacrifice review

Hitman 3

Hitman 3 is a perfect send-off for Io Interactive’s World of Assassination, and a celebration of the studio’s long-running stealth sandbox. The third game comes with some of the most imaginative level deigns the trilogy has seen, including the excellent Dartmoor murder mystery and an interesting throwback level in the form of Berlin . Hitman 3 doesn’t change much of the core formula, and for a sandbox game, that’s a good thing.

Even better, you can import your Hitman and Hitman 2 items and levels into Hitman 3. After five years, you can now fully unify the World of Assassination trilogy under one roof, sharing items between levels. If you already own the first two games — Hitman was a part of Games with Gold at one point — Hitman 3 is the quintessential Hitman experience.

Read our Hitman 3 review

Minecraft

One of the most popular games of all time, Mojang’s Minecraft was a hit on Xbox systems long before Microsoft bought the developer. Its nearly endless creation tools allow players to make unique and impressive structures, and its simple survival gameplay offers a challenge for those looking to venture into the unknown and slay the monsters they find.

The Xbox One version is one of the best, as the recent Bedrock update enabled cross-play with other platforms like iOS, PC, and Nintendo Switch. No matter where your friends are playing Minecraft , there’s a good chance you’ll be able to build and explore together. Minecraft is also an awesome choice for relaxing on your own.

Monster Hunter: World

It’s not exactly the most traditional Monster Hunter game but that’s what makes it so damn good. If you enjoy a good open-world RPG where you can track rare monsters, engage in tough combat, and craft awesome armor out of their remains, then Monster Hunter: World is right up your alley.

Monster Hunter: World modernizes a classic RPG and makes it easy for anyone to jump in. It features beautiful zones that feel alive, monsters with improved AI, and cool DLC crossovers with Final Fantasy , Street Fighter , and Horizon Zero Dawn . There’s also a multiplayer mode where up to four players can don their best gear and take down dangerous beasts together.

Read our full Monster Hunter: World review

Mortal Kombat 11

Some game franchises suffer from fatigue after their first few entries, with later games paling in comparison to the originals. NetherRealm’s Mortal Kombat is not one of those series.

Mortal Kombat 11 is a fighting game designed by masters of the genre. It offers brutal and complex combat while also including tutorial and practice systems so newcomers can enjoy the game. The addition of the Fatal Blow system makes every second of a fight suspenseful, even if one player has a huge advantage. Not to mention, the infamous Fatalities are gorier than ever.

Mortal Kombat 11 is also, hands down, one of the prettiest games on the Xbox One. Animations — both for faces and attacks — are stunning, and there’s a sense of fluidity that we rarely see outside of NetherRealm’s work. With a ton of different modes to choose from and an over-the-top story to play through, Mortal Kombat 11 is well worth the price of admission.

Read our full Mortal Kombat 11 review

Nier: Automata

A stunningly well-realized version of auteur director Yoko Taro’s vision, Nier: Automata is a depressing and existential action game that avoids many of the narrative traps associated with android stories. There are no questions regarding what it means to be human, but rather what it means to be yourself. Protagonists 2B and 9S struggle to accept reality, making for some of the most emotional moments we’ve ever experienced in a game.

With Platinum Games handling the combat, the Nier: Automata is also a flashy and tight action game complete with twin-stick shooter segments to break up the monotony.

Read our full Nier: Automata review

No Man’s Sky

Xbox One fans had to wait more than two years to get their hands on Hello Games’ No Man’s Sky , but the game they eventually received was far better than the one released back in 2016. Multiple updates have overhauled many of the game’s systems, resulting in more engaging adventures that no longer felt like blind busywork. Improvements like base-building allow you to feel like you’re truly living in the game’s enormous universe, rather than merely looking at it from a distance.

The biggest addition to the No Man’s Sky , however, was multiplayer. It finally gave players the chance to explore uncharted territory together and attempt to survive the harsh conditions found on many mysterious planets.

Read our full No Man’s Sky review

Ori and the Will of the Wisps

Ori and the Blind Forest is one of the best Metroidvania games ever made, blending simple but effective combat with terrific platforming and exploration. Its sequel, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, took five years to release, but it was well worth the wait. The game is even more gorgeous than its predecessor, with a more refined art style and an atmospheric, orchestral soundtrack. It keeps the brilliant escape sequences of the first game, and though it does away with its unique checkpoint system, it still understands what made the original so successful.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps is a bigger game, too, but that size doesn’t change the emotional and touching story it tells. Microsoft may have a new mascot for Xbox and not even realize it yet, and it’s from a game developed by a strikingly small team at Moon Studios.

Read our full Ori and the Will of Wisps hands-on

Outer Wilds

Not to be confused with the unrelated The Outer Worlds from Obsidian Entertainment, Outer Wilds is a unique first-person adventure game that tasks you with uncovering the secret behind an endless time loop constantly threatening the galaxy. Depending on when you reach a location, it can change and offer a different experience, potentially helping you to unravel the mystery at the center of the time loop.

Outer Wilds is designed to be played repeatedly as you gradually uncover the answers you need — almost like a playable version of the film Edge of Tomorrow . It’s a race against time, but one you won’t truly lose if you’re making the most of your exploration. If you want to ignore that and just roast a marshmallow instead, that’s also an option.

Pro Evolution Soccer (series)

Konami’s Pro Evolution Soccer series continues to improve over the years, rivaling Electronic Arts’ FIFA franchise with its emphasis on total ball and pass control, as well as improved animations and new strategies to help you manage your players exactly as you want to.

Using the Fox engine — the technology behind Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain — Konami can create a gorgeous soccer game, with detailed players and natural movement that make it feel like you’re watching a live soccer match rather than simply playing one on your Xbox One. The Pro Evolution Soccer isn’t as popular as FIFA , but that underdog position has only motivated Konami.

Red Dead Redemption 2

It’s rare that a AAA open-world game can surprise us, but Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2 manages to do it regularly. The western is a prequel to the 2010 game Red Dead Redemption , but it is far more than a simple retread of that title’s themes.

As a member of the Van der Linde gang, protagonist Arthur Morgan must wrestle with his past and his uncertain future as the government hunts down the remaining outlaws in a rapidly changing Wild West locale.

Every story mission is absolute gold, never falling into a pattern of repetition. The emergent activities you’ll discover in the open world are engaging enough to keep you busy for hours. Want to cause chaos or just hunt game? You totally can, or you could try your luck at a few hands of poker. The Red Dead Redemption 2 is also available on Xbox Game Pass, sweetening the deal for the subscription service.

Read our full Red Dead Redemption 2 review

Rocket League

Who could predict that one of the best “sports” games on the Xbox One would involve rocket-powered cars driving alongside glass domes as they knock an oversized soccer ball across the field?

Psyonix’ Rocket League is a goofy game, but don’t let its wacky premise fool you – Rocket League demands your full attention, as players with enough practice can pull off some truly masterful goals and block balls in a last-ditch effort to keep their lead in a tough match. The simple controls are easy enough to grasp, however, so you should be able to get the hang of things quickly and begin (trying) to score a few goals.

Sea of Thieves

If you ever wanted to sail the treacherous seas roleplaying as a pirate with a group of your friends, Sea of Thieves is the Xbox One game for you. Embark on voyages, discover treasure, raid enemy ships, customize your rig, and be the best scallywag this side of the sea has ever seen!

Sea of Thieves feels like a lighthearted pirate simulator. You and your friends go on adventures but also work together to accomplish menial things like putting up the ship’s sails and navigating through dangerous waters. The best part? The entire game is cross-platform, so you can play with your friends on PC. Over time, it has grown into a respectable online service game with more content to pursue than ever before, despite its really rough launch.

Read our full Sea of Thieves review

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

From Software had the option to release another Dark Souls game. Instead, the legendary studio created an entirely new franchise with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice . This action game takes plenty of inspiration from Dark Souls and Bloodborne , but the addition of a Posture system for deflecting attacks — along with a resurrection mechanic — help make it feel like a distinct game in its own right.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice is ludicrously difficult, which could turn off From Software newcomers. Those who have the time and patience to battle through its boss fights, however, will find one of the most rewarding and addicting action games of the generation. The pain is good, and we want more.

Read our full Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice review

Stardew Valley

It might have begun its life as a spiritual successor to the Harvest Moon series, but Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone’s Stardew Valley has arguably become more influential and revered than the series it tried to emulate. A farming adventure styled after classic 16-bit games on the Super Nintendo, Stardew Valley packs full of charm and character, and in addition to offering a variety of different crops to plant on your farm.

The Stardew Valley also features dangerous dungeons to explore and several different characters to romance. The game’s polish and stunning variety is particularly impressive when you consider that Barone was a first-time game developer.

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order isn’t exactly the most original or innovative game we’ve played. It’s a blend of elements from big-name game franchises like Uncharted and Dark Souls , but with all the classic Star Wars tropes. Despite this, it excels because it so smartly pulls mechanics and structural pieces that fit the Star Wars formula well.

Split between exploration, puzzle-solving, and combat, Fallen Order never feels like it’s wasting your time. When you finally get protagonist Cal Kestis outfitted with his best Force powers and a customizable lightsaber, he feels like an unstoppable warrior who can take on waves of Stormtroopers without issue.

With brilliant performances and a mesmerizing score, the Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order is one of the best Star Wars games since BioWare’s Knights of the Old Republic series.

Read our full Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order review

Streets of Rage 4

After over two decades without an entry, Streets of Rage roars back to life with its excellent fourth entry, one that provides a gorgeous visual makeover.

Streets of Rage 4 remains true to its roots with sticky combat but modernizes the gameplay by adding features such as special attacks and juggling enemies. The story is paper-thin, as all good beat ’em ups should be, but the game more than makes up for it with addictive mechanics set to a brilliant soundtrack. It also provides quite the challenge, with several levels giving players a run for their money, and forcing them to strategically manage the game’s offensive and defensive systems.

Depending on the player’s ability, the Streets of Rage ‘s story can be completed in a matter of hours. However, unlockable characters and hidden easter eggs offer tons of replay value as fans of the franchise eagerly await the fifth entry.

The Medium

Bloober Team is a master of the horror genre, and the studio’s latest release shows that. The Medium is a tense experience from start to finish, using cinematic camera movement and unsettling angles to create a sense that you’re playing a horror movie. In many ways, The Medium feels like modern Resident Evil , just without zombies.

You play as Marianne, a medium who, after experiencing a shattering loss, travels to the Niwa Hotel to solve a mystery that requires reaching over to the other side. What’s interesting is that The Medium renders two worlds at once: The real world and the spirit world. To progress deeper into the hotel and solve puzzles, you’ll need to swap between worlds, and even occasionally leave your body to explore the spirit world unchained.

Read our The Medium review

The Outer Worlds

If you ever yearned for Fallout in space, this is the closest relative you’ll likely ever see. That’s because the masterminds behind the popular series, Tim Cain and Leonard Boyarsky, are at the helm of this incredible first-person role-playing adventure.

The setting is an alternate timeline that sees corporations colonizing other worlds. Your character originates from a colony ship, The Hope , that becomes lost as it travels through space to the Halcyon star system. One-hundred years later, scientist Phineas Welles wakes you from cryosleep with a mission to infiltrate the Halcyon colonies and save fellow humans from The Board, a conglomerate of corporations.

You eventually gain a ship and travel to various settlements scattered throughout the system. As with any other modern RPG, players gain side missions alongside the main story quests. Your choices heavily dictate how the story unfolds, such as diverting power from a local colony or withholding secrets from The Board.

Overall, there’s a definite Fallout feel under all the alien landscapes and technology. What’s missing in the The Outer Worlds is a memorable radio station pumping oldies into our ears.

Read our full Outer Worlds Switch review

The Witness

The Witness is a game that only Jonathan Blow could make. An atmospheric and existential game focused primarily on circuit-based puzzles, it features a familiar amnesiac protagonist element, but the world Blow has created is interesting enough to make it feel like much more than another tale about regaining your memory and uncovering some big secret.

Instead, you’ll be given philosophical tidbits that could help you in your understanding of your world as you make your way through more than 500 puzzles. If you’ve been subscribed to Xbox Live Gold for a while, you likely already have The Witness in your Ready to Install section, so you can try it out right now.

Read our full The Witness review

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

Following up on the events of the previous game, The Witcher 3 follows the continuing adventures of Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter searching for his lost lover, Yennefer, and Ciri, his adopted daughter. Although its central plot offers a long and entertaining quest, there’s far more to the game than finding Geralt’s loved ones.

The world is massive, dense with characters great and small who have problems they need Geralt to solve. Whether it’s exorcising a spirit haunting a village or helping a blacksmith rebuild his business, there are hundreds of little adventures to go on, and some even intersect in surprising ways.

The world of The Witcher is dark. An early scene finds Geralt riding into a war-torn province, the camera pulling back to reveal a massive tree from which prisoners of war have been hanged. It’s a grim image, and it sets the tone for much of what is to follow. Often the game will present choices that can have wide-ranging, unforeseen consequences. Not everyone gets a happy ending.

Despite all the gloom, there are moments of warmth: an orphan reunited with relatives, drinking games with Geralt’s war buddies, a night of passion with an old flame, and more. Wildly ambitious and epic in scope, The Witcher 3 is a watershed moment for role-playing games, setting a new gold standard for the genre.

Read our full The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt review

XCOM 2 and War of the Chosen DLC

Firaxis Games managed to revive a long-dead strategy series in 2012 with XCOM: Enemy Unknown , and things only got better from there.

XCOM 2 is a harder, more diverse, and more engaging game than its predecessor. It requires players to master both turn-based strategy and resource management as they attempt to overthrow alien occupiers before they unleash a mysterious weapon.

With XCOM 2 , failing to move your units into correct positions or taking too long to complete objectives could result in them being overrun and killed. Once they’re dead, they’re dead for good. It’s enough to cause an anxiety attack, but with enough perseverance and a hefty dose of luck, you can repel the invaders and save the world.

Read our full XCOM 2 review

Editors’ Recommendations

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• The best Xbox One exclusives